Combination chamois-sponge



Sept. 21, 1965 w, LINENFELSER 3,206,784

COMBINATION CHAMOIS-SPONGE Filed Jan. 14, 1964 INVENTOR $085K? A/Nf/VFZJfJQ United States Patent 3,206,784 COMBINATION CHAMOIS-SPONGE Robert W. Linenfelser, Brooklyn, Mich.

Filed Jan. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 337,626 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-118) This invention relates generally to articles which are used for the purpose of cleaning a surface, and refers more particularly to an article which is capable of both vivashing the surface and wiping the same substantially An essential object of the invention is to provide a single article which may be used first to wash a surface and thereafter to wipe the surface subtsantially dry.

Another object is to provide an article for washing a surface and for wiping the same substantially dry which comprises a body of flexible compressible sponge-like material, and a flexible chamois-like sheet secured to the surface of the body, leaving a substantial portion of the body uncovered and exposed.

Another object is to provide a body of flexible compressible sponge-like material having a substantially flat surface, with the chamois-like sheet secured in surface-tosurface relation to the substantially flat surface of the body.

Another object is to provide a composite article in which the body is in the form of a block having substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces, the thickness of the block measured between the top and bottom surfaces being relatively small compared to the width and length thereof, and the chamois-like sheet secured in surface-tosurface relation to the top surface of the block.

Another object is to provide a plurality of holes in the sheet, making the sheet itself more flexible so that it can be wrung dry after the surface is washed, and also providing additional sponge surface from which water may be expelled when the article is wrung out by squeezing.

Another object is to extend the margin of the sheet beyond the top surface of the block and to secure the same in surface-to-surface relation to an annular portion of the side edge of the block.

Another object is to make the block of sponge-like material from polyurethane, and to make the chamoislike sheet from natural chamois skin.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an article embodying my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the article.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the article there shown is a single composite article generally designated which is composed of a body 12 of flexible compressible sponge-like material, and a flexible chamoislike sheet 14.

The body 12 may be a natural sponge, or it may be formed of polyurethane or cellulose or any other material which acts like a sponge. From the standpoint of cost, a polyurethane body of sponge-like material is preferred. The sheet 14 may be, and preferably is, a natural chamois skin, although from the standpoint of cost certain other skins which act like a chamois skin, such as sheep skin, may be employed.

The body 12 is in the form of a disc-like block having parallel top and bottom surfaces 16 and 18. While the size of the body 12 may vary, in the present instance it is circular or disc shaped and of a diameter such that it will fit convenienty in the hand. The thickness of the body 12, that is its dimension between the top and bottom 3,206,784 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 surfaces 16 and 18, is relatively small compared to its diameter. Instead of being circular, the body 12 might, for example, be square or rectangular, or any other convenient shape. The annular side edge of the body 12 is designated 19 and bulges somewhat as indicated.

The chamois skin or sheet 14 is circular and is secured in surface-to-surface relation to the circular top surface 16 of the body 12. Any suitable flexible waterproof adhesive may be provided for this purpose. The adhesive is designated 20. Preferably, the margin of the chamois skin or sheet 14 extends outward beyond the circular margin of the top surface 16 and is secured in surface-tosurface relation to and covers an annular portio of the side edge 19 of the body 12, as best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3. The same adhesive may be applied to the extended margin of the sheet 14 to secure it to the side edge of the body. By thus extending the margin of the sheet, the sheet is less inclined to pull away from the sponge body at the edges, where separation would be most likely to begin, and moreover the chamois side of the article can be more comfortably gripped in the hand.

Preferably, the chamois skin 14 is formed with a plurality of holes 22. The holes increase the flexibility of the chamois skin so that it will be more flexible and therefore capable of being thoroughly wrung. The holes also provide additional sponge surface from which water or cleaning fluid may be expelled when the sponge is squeezed to wring it out.

In use, the sponge body 12 will be filled with water or other cleaning liquid and then moved over the surface to be cleaned with its bottom surface 18 in contact with the surface to be cleaned. All surface portions of the sponge body 12 which are not covered by the chamois skin 14 are exposed to clean the surface. Thereafter the composite article 10 may be squeezed by hand to express the liquid from the sponge body 12 through its exposed bottom and side edge surfaces 18 and 1 and also through the surface portions thereof exposed by the holes 22 in the chamois skin. This same squeezing or wringing action will substantially wring dry the chamois skin, the wring ing of the chamois skin being rendered more effective due to the increased flexibility thereof as a result of the holes 22. The unitary composite article 10 may then be reversed in the hand to present the chamois covered surface of the sponge to the surface being cleaned, and by moving the article over the washed surface with the chamois skin in contact therewith substantially all of the liquid will be removed from the surface being cleaned.

The operation may be repeated over and over on dif ferent portions of the surface being cleaned, first washing, then wringing dry and thereafter wiping the liquid from the surface being cleaned. The composite article is simply reversed in the hand to present either the washing bottom surface 18 or the chamois covered top surface of the article to the surface being cleaned.

What I claim as my invention is:

A composite article for washing a surface and for wiping the same substantially dry, comprising a body of flexible, compressible sponge-like polyurethane, said body being in the form of a flat disc-shaped block having substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces, said top and bottom surfaces being of equal size and the same smoothly curved annular shape, the edge of said block connecting said top and bottom surfaces having in all planes parallel to said top and bottom surfaces substantially the same smoothly curved annular shape as said top and bottom surfaces and in all planes normal to said top and bottom surfaces bulging laterally outwardly in a smooth arc, the thickness of said block measured between said top and bottom surfaces being relatively small compared to the length and width thereof, and a flexible, chamoislike sheet having substantially the same smoothly curved annular shape as said top surface although slightly larger than said top surface, said sheet being adhered in surfaceto-surface relation to said top surface of said block, said sheet having a multiplicity of holes of substantial area therein uncovering and exposing portions of the top surface of said block, all surfaces of said block not covered by said sheet being exposed, said holes being distributed in spaced relation to each other over substantially the entire extent of said sheet, said holes increasing the flexibility of said sheet so that the article may be more thoroughly wrung and also exposing additional sponge surface from which Water may be squeezed during wringing, said holes also enabling excessive water on the surface being wiped by said sheet to pass directly into said block, the margin of said sheet extending beyond the top surface 4 of said block and being adhered in surface-to-surface relation to and covering a minor annular portion of the edge of said block.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 101,777 4/70 Smith 15244 2,572,349 10/51 Kaplan 15118 3,040,353 6/62 Gray 15--118 3,083,392 4/63 Sewell 15118 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,124,203 6/56 France.

190,088 6/ 37 Switzerland.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 

